The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), along with with the Quilt Trails of WNC, will offer bus tours and a guided walking tour on April 18, during the Appalachian True Heritage Festival, which will be held Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, in downtown Waynesville. “The Haywood County Quilt Trails are a wonderful example of where art and local stories come together,” says Tonya Harwood, the HCAC executive director. “Each quilt block celebrates a family, farm, business or tradition, turning everyday spaces into public art throughout the county.”
This will be the second year that HCAC has offered the bus tours. “You get to see beautiful quilt blocks around the county while our narrator shares local history and the stories behind the blocks,” Harwood says. “The route is still coming together, but it will include stops like the Paper Crane and The Learning Tree, as well as many other Quilt Trail favorites.”
The quilt blocks are created by volunteers under the auspices of the Arts Council. “The Barn Quilt Tour celebrates the quilting traditions, storytelling and rural heritage of Western North Carolina through colorful quilt blocks displayed on barns, homes and buildings,” says the program’s coordinator Danna Bohnhoff. “Each block represents a unique story and reflects the community’s dedication to preserving the art of barn quilts. As the project has grown to include nine counties and over 200 quilt blocks, visitors can explore the region while also having the opportunity to participate in the painting process.”
Printed trail maps may be found at the Arts Council’s Haywood Handmade Gallery and at the Visit Haywood Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska. An online version of the map is also available…